Golden Apples
by Ashe Neff
Summary: Rumplestiltzkin, better known as Mr. Gold, is reunited with his love whom he thought dead long before the curse was in place. He must, now, rebuild his relationship with her while dodging Regina's gaze, atleast enough to plot his revenge. Slightly AU as some events are omitted or rearanged in time. M rating for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

Gold had taken to stalking the forest nightly, taking walks to and from the cabin mostly. He didn't try to hide himself, he knew the best way to disappear was to just go about your business as if you were supposed to be doing whatever it was you were doing. As such, each night he would lock up the antique shop and head out toward the cabin at the edge of town. He would always stop, however, and look into the well atop the hill overlooking the bay. He might spend an hour just gazing down into the abyss, shadow consumed any hint that the well might not have suddenly run dry. He had moments where he worried that it might have, considering how magic things react to this place. After his silent contemplation of his own failures, he'd spend another hour reminding himself why he'd not bothered using the well's power to end his own curse sooner. "Let her remain where she is." He's mutter to herself. "Better that she passed from her torture there. I've been cruel enough to her without wishing _Her Majesty's _curse on her for my own sake."

This particular night, however, he found himself anxious to return to his home. His vigil at the well was cut short, as was his nightly visit to the abandoned mine to check on the beast trapped within. He didn't bother returning to the cabin, but walked straight home. He was unable to shake the feeling that if he didn't get there quickly, something terrible would happen. Considering the assault and battery charges pressed against him for what he did to Mr. French – who deserved much more than he got as far as Gold was concerned – he had every right to worry. If Miss Swan kept on doing her job so well... He preferred not to think about it.

Gold walked just into view of his shop and stopped dead. Someone was leaning against the door, looking in. The figure then turned around and just...sat. Riffraff were not tolerated on his property, and he was in too much of a hurry to be genial about it. Still, remembering how little he enjoyed being in that cell, he kept as calm as he could. Covering half the distance toward the figure, a faulty street lamp kicked on, illuminating part of the figured face. He stopped to take a look at the...girl. It was definitely a woman. With dark hair, pale skin, and a jaw that reminded him very much of..."No..." He was drawn forward, not wanting to prove himself wrong but unable to turn and leave. He saw the rest of her face when he was within a dozen or so paces of her. A few more steps saw him still as a statue looking down at a woman he thought dead for so long. The sight rendered him speechless

Luckily for him she spoke first, hearing his thick soled shoes slap and shuffle against the pavement. "I...um...they said to find Mr, Gold's shop..." He didn't move, or even blink. Her stammering only got worse from there. "And...and um...tell him that... um...Regina?..yeah, Regina locked me up.." She looked up at him now, just wanting someone to tell her she was alright. She'd been in that mental ward for so long... "They...they said Mr. Gold would protect me..." She saw, now, the tears on his face. He'd heard little of what she'd said to him. He reached a hand down and pulled her up to her feet, then was again at a loss. "Are you him?...Are...are you alright?" He shook his head and hugged her tightly. She jumped in shock but didn't back away. "...Do I know you?"

He leaned back a bit and smiled to her. "No...but you will..." She seemed very confused, and as her words finally sank in for him he laughed. A real laugh for the first time in many many years. "Yes, I am Mr. Gold. Yes, I will protect you...Come with me, Dearie." He tugged her along, close at his side, and asked her softly. "Now, what's this about Regina?" There was the slightest hint of a smirk at one corner of his mouth, and somehow a sneer at the other.


	2. Chapter 2

So It seemed that Madam Mayor had lied to our dearest imp. At first he thought to himself how boring and predictable it all was. He'd become indifferent to her machinations years ago. Still, though, he began to realize that he wasn't really the wronged party in all of this. He'd lost his love, yes, but he'd done that to himself. To think that his Belle had been locked away for so long in solitude, it was a wonder to him that she'd managed to stay sane. How could Belle, who thought of Regina as nothing more than a kind Lady who had tried to help her be with her beloved, have felt when the witch – the bitch – scooped her up and kept her away from everyone she had ever cared for. A woman like Belle could never lead a solitary life.

Strangely, his thoughts trailed off of the rising indignation he felt on behalf of his returned beloved. He found himself remembering her love of stories and books. He'd often listen to her titter or gasp at something she had read while he spun, wondering if she was simply enjoying the book or escaping from him through it. Even then he was always suspicious of her. He hated himself for it.

His thoughts turned back to his other hatred. Regina. "I could have saved her...She needed me..." He picked up the chipped tea cup from his mantle and turned it over in his hands. "You're a coward, Rumpelstiltskin.." He whispered to himself, remembering their last words. "Never again.."

"Oh, it's chipped..." She had walked up behind him rather silently. Startled, he nearly dropped it, and then nearly fell trying to catch it. Gingerly, he set the cup down. She looked at him with genuine worry. "Sorry, so sorry.." She grabbed his shoulder just before he turned around, to try and steady him.

"...It's just a cup..." He muttered, a bit choked up. Clearing his throat he managed a smile toward her. "Sleep well, Dearie?" He put a hand over hers, trying to remember that she didn't remember him just yet. He walked with her over to his living room and motioned for her to take a seat. Gentlemen always waited.

"Well, it's a lovely one. Shame it's broken." He wanted to tell her he liked it that way, but left it. "Oh, right...Yeah, it was great to have a real shower and bed for once." That accent of hers always got him. He was glad of the fact that more members of the town hadn't had it. "I can't thank you enough for this, Mr. Gold. Really...I don't want to be a burden."

"Not at all, Belle, not at all." His voice was soft and low, very much unlike his tone when she knew him previously. All part of the lack of magic here, he was human again. He could do those caring things that an imp could not.

"I mean...I could..." She thought. "I don't think I've ever really cooked or anything, but...there must be something I can do..." He smiled at her in that distant way he did when they met outside the store. She cocked her head. "What, whats so amusing." She asked, thinking she'd heard him giggle a little. It was an echo of memory that Regina had buried

"Nothing, Dearie." He brushed dome hair from her face. "If you really want to help, then you are free to. I only want you comfortable. Deal?" She made an odd face at him and then laughed the way one does when they have given up trying to find an explanation for that purple elephant in their pocket.

Eying him one more time she nodded slowly. "Should I know something, Mr. Gold?"

"In time, you will remember, Belle. Until then, just remember that I'm here to protect you, and care for you." He moved to touch her face, but pulled back. "I can't lose you to her again..."

Gold closed his eyes and sighed, and jumped as she reached out and cupped his hand with hers. "Whatever happened to you, I'm so sorry."

"No, Belle. I'm sorry, But that's all going to change." He stood up and plastered on his lawyer's smile, holding out an arm to her. "Now come along. I'll bet you're starving. Look at you, so thin." He clicked his tongue a few times and whisked her away to the kitchen before she had a chance to say anything. It seemed things were already getting back to normal in the House of Gold. They had a long day, though. He'd not informed her yet of the rules of the house. He'd not wanted to tell her she was being locked up again, even if it was for her own safety. It could wait, he didn't open the shop on Sundays anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I'm going to trek off of our reunited couple for this chapter. I'm getting the feeling that if I don't that nothing will actually HAPPEN, and we can't have that can we? How about we see what Her Infernal Majesty is up to?

* * *

Mayor Mills had been working so hard on keeping her son away from that blond idiot that she'd lost track of many of the other plans she had in motion. After having to take care of a situation at the power station, and spending the rest of the night tracking Henry down after he'd snuk out while she was gone, she had honestly forgotten about many of her own personal vendettas in the stress. At this moment she was standing outside the sheriff's station, wondering why the door was locked in the first place. "Miss Swan, I know you are in there!" She called. Then she heard a car door open behind her. She acted like she hadn't noticed it.

"Actually I was out. Doing my job. Like you told me." Emma said bitterly. "Gold 'demanded my presence'." Her tone wasn't much different when speaking of the strangest – and richest – man in town. The blonde rolled her eyes almost childishly, not wanting to deal with Regina's vendettas today. "So what's so important that you'd come down here and bang on a locked door that you have the spare keys to?" Regina fumed inwardly but managed to keep all but an annoyed huff hidden. They both walked into the station.

"If you are done adding insult to injury, Sheriff..." She was struggling to maintain composure. After all this wasn't first time the two had sparred like this, and she couldn't let Emma think she was going soft. When Emma conceded, bowing her head slightly in apology, Regina continued. "Apparently, you aren't doing your job well enough. I've come to report a break in."

"Not possible, your alarm system never reported anything..." Emma said, sounding genuinely concerned. It wasn't so much that she worried for Regina, but Henry lived there too.

"Yes, I know. It doesn't report when people use keys." Regina's face had fallen into that face she got when dealing with 'idiots'. Emma was none too happy. Regina continued. "Here is a list of what's been taken. Unless there is a missing persons report or a death, this takes precedence, got it?"

Emma look at her incredulously. "Isn't that abuse of power, Madam Mayor?"

"I don't know, is a week with Henry abuse of power?" Regina smirked, she knew this would work, it always had.

Emma grimaced "That is unfair, Regina..."

"But you aren't saying no." With that she dropped the envelope on Sheriff Swan's desk and left without a word.

"Regina?" The black haired woman stopped and looked over her shoulder. "How is he?"

She sighed. "Fine, as always. Goodbye, Miss Swan." As she left she headed toward the bridge, just to make sure there wasn't a little brunette in a hospital gown wandering around the woods.

* * *

Gold had just returned home, finding Belle had made dinner. It wasn't much, and not nearly as nice as he made himself. He'd had much more practice, though. She smiled, walking out of the kitchen with the last dish. "Oh Dearie, you shouldn't have..." He said softly, walking over to the table to help out. She gave him an odd, almost cautious look for a moment; as if she had done something wrong. He'd forgotten about her self-consciousness He laughed, just a hint of his former giddy self surfacing as he shook his head. "I only meant that I hope you didn't work too hard just for me."

Belle actually laughed, the first real laugh she'd had since her reappearance "Hardly." She joked, setting down the dish of slightly dry salmon steaks on the table. "The hard part was just making sure the fish was all the way done. I think I overcooked it a bit though..." Her tone backed off of the end of he word meekly. "It's not pretty or anything, but...Hope you like it. Its the least I could do, you've been so generous to me."

Gold just smiled at her for a moment before placing his hands on her shoulders, squeezing for a moment. "Belle, you owe me nothing. Remember that." He couldn't resist taking her hands and kissing them, but moved on before anything could be said about it. "Besides, I'm beginning to think you lied about never having cooked before. It all looks delicious." This was only because she'd made it of course. Honestly it looked like something out of a trailer park thanksgiving photo, everything just kind of served in what it was cooked in, other than the salmon which she tried to garnish a bit. It was kind of like a drawing of a house by your toddler. It may look like shit, but you think its amazing because they made it for you special. She made to serve him and he thought about stopping her. He didn't want her to wait on him anymore, but she seemed compelled to and he wanted her to feel free to do what she wished. He did at least pull out her chair for her when she was done portioning out the food.

They ate mainly in silence. It was a combination of hunger and awkwardness on both parts. What was she to talk about? She hadn't left his house, and other than a rather strange squirrel-cat brawl not much had happened. Gold was mentally trying to work up a script of things that would be safe subjects. He didn't want her being reminded of any bad memories, or bring up her being stuck in his house until it was safe for her to go out. He couldn't talk of their time in his castle, it hurt him too much and she'd probably think him crazy. Belle was the first person to speak up, as shed finally remembered the message she got earlier that day. "Oh, I forgot. Someone called earlier today. Something about being a little late on a payment. I didn't know what to say so I said I would pass on the message to you." She cocked her head as she speared one of the new potatoes. "I didn't know someone could be so worried about paying for something..."

Gold sighed. He'd really not wanted her to know about this either. To be honest he'd forgotten about all of the loan sharking and cut-throat deal making when He'd found Belle outside his shop. "Well, some people get it in their head that bad things will happen if they don't make me happy..." He said, mentally watching her react to finding out what a horrible person he was. "I've a bit of a...beastly reputation around here, Dearie."

"I can't see why, you don't seem like a beast to me." She said in an almost childish tone. It only made him smile sadly.

"Well, that's because you've never seen me at work...If you had I doubt you'd have bothered cooking for me. Antiques are not the only things I deal in, and I can be quite ruthless when it comes to my deals." He wasn't sure why he was telling her all this. She knew it, but didn't remember it. Would she react the same way she had before?

She just shrugged "No one is a saint, Mr. Gold." She set her fork down and looked up to him, though she wasn't quite smiling "You couldn't possibly be all that bad though, you took me in after all." Her expression was strange, almost expectant. And he was about to let her down, he thought. The pain showed before he even started speaking.

"To put it bluntly, I'm a loan shark. Also a lawyer, and a few other unsavory things." He seemed to deflate as he explained this to her. Best to be honest. Worst comes to worst she'll remember when the curse lifts. It still seemed like he was letting her down. "You are a special case, dearie. I will protect you to the very end, and would never dream of harming you. The rest of the townsfolk aren't so lucky..."

Belle grimaced, but again it was a conflicting emotion he read in her eyes. "I...see..." She pushed around her food a bit more as they both sat in silence. She looked up after what seemed like an eternity and gave him a helpful smile. "I'm sorry, but I just can't believe you are some kind of monster. If you were, I'd know. I can tell these things." She thought for a moment and suddenly had a very confused face. "I'm...not sure how I know that..."

Gold managed a meek smile. "I trust you, Belle. Hell, you're probably right. The whole thing is more complicated than I care to admit."

"If evil is made, it can be unmade, right?" She offered, glad for the upswing in emotions finally. "Just...don't bring work home with you, alright?"

Gold grinned, flinging a pea at her. "Yes, dear." He said sarcastically, laughing as she rolled her eyes at him.


	4. Chapter 4

"It's a strange feeling, being so comfortable around a complete stranger. At first it's awkward, because your mind treats them as an object to catalog; but quickly being around them is like being home. That's what it is...I feel at home here. I'm not sure how, everything is so...It's like a museum here. But still I feel like I belong here. I like it a lot. Mr. Gold keeps his distance sometimes, at least I can tell he's trying to. He won't tell me why...He won't tell me anything...Well, no, that isn't true. I just wish he wouldn't keep so guarded. It's nice when he laughs, almost like he glows hes so happy. He told me I would know him eventually...I'll just have to trust him till then." Belle was sitting in her room, and Gold could hear her talking as he passed by her door down the hall toward his room. At first he thought maybe she was writing in a diary, but he didn't hear the sounds you normally hear with writing, nor had he given her any books to write in. It didn't matter much though as he was washed over by memory soon after he'd stopped to listen to her.

_Rumpelstiltskin sat at his wheel as he heard the heavy creak of the large doors opening. Bell was up early. The moon – which for some reason seemed swollen and heavy and oh so large tonight – still hung high. She was dragging her feet, and Rumple would be lying if he said her sleepy smile hadn't made him sigh a little on the inside. That robe she wore over her night clothes hugged her curves in a way only silk could, and the glimmer of the moonlight on it made her seem more an angel than a girl. He quickly turned back to his wheel, making it look as though he'd not noticed her enter. She finally turned, candlestick swaying a bit as she did so. "There you are. You really should sleep, you know." She said in an almost motherly tone, but the playfulness and sleepiness had covered it well._

_"Oh, and what about you, Dearie? Shouldn't you still be slumbering?" He asked back, more as a quip, smirking as he wagged a finger at her._

_"Couldn't sleep...I just..." She blushed a little and shook her head. "Never mind, it's silly..."_

_"Can't be any sillier than having a late night chat with a Beast." The grin lessened but his tone remained jovial as ever._

_"Stop calling yourself that. You are not!" She was deadly serious there, so much that she startled herself. He was shocked as well though it was much less noticeable She shook it off and sighed. "I was lonely, and when I went to your room and you weren't there I got worried." She sat down on the windowsill near him, suddenly finding her hands very interesting._

_For a moment Rumple looked dumbstruck. "Just why would that worry you?"_

_"I...um..." She didn't really know, and quickly made something up. "Well, it's an awful big place to be left alone in. I'm sure you understand..."Neither one was impressed with her ability to lie, but neither wanted to push the subject either. There was an awkward silence for a while before Belle spoke up again. "Can...Can I watch you spin for a while?"_

_Again, Rumple was dumbfounded. "I can't see why you would want to..." But he didn't send her away either._

_"Because it's soothing...and the company is quite agreeable." She said, getting back to teasing him. He smiled a little before it was covered by a grin._

_He began to spin in silence again, until he felt a soft thud against his back. Her hand has fallen from its rest against the window frame. He turned to see she'd fallen asleep watching him. He smiled and shook his head, standing up from the wheel to scoop her up and carry her up to her bed. "Sleep well, Dearie."_

He remembered touching her hair as she slept, and taking a moment to inhale the scent of her from her pretty little blue dress. Roses, always roses, not matter what she'd been doing all day. She still smelled that way. He found himself suddenly regretting something that he never considered before. She deserved to know. It wasn't his place to keep her in the dark about anything. He slowly realized she was still speaking, and pushed the door open a bit more. "Who are you talking to, Dearie?" He asked softly, trying not to startle her.

He failed. She squeaked a bit and turned to see him, hand over her heart, catching her breath. She then began laughing and scowled at him jokingly "You scared the hell out of me!" She teased, straightening herself out. He bowed an apology and she shook her head a bit. "I was talking to myself, actually. It's my way of passing the time, making sure I remember it exists. After all, you spend enough time in a box by yourself..." She shrugged, trying to blow it off.

He reached out and took her hands in his, sitting down on the bed next to her. "Believe it or not, I understand completely. In fact, when we met I was just as alone as you were..."

"When we...met? We met outside your shop a week ago..." She said, very confused.

He sighed and shook his head. "This was before you lost your memory, Belle. You, you had a bad accident some time after I last saw you..." Tears were coming again. "I...I was told that...that you..." He swallowed hard. "Died..." He looked into her eyes with hard resolve. "You have to believe, if I knew that evil sow had you..." He was shaking, forcing himself not to pull her into his arms. He didn't want to scare her. "I'd have saved you, Bell, I would have. I didn't mean to...to..." His eyes were closed, trying to calm the tears. "You know that, right?" He chocked out, slowly calming.

She watched him, frightened of the display of emotion, but after a moment she smiled that knowing, healing smile of hers and wrapped her arms around him. "Hey, you are saving me...I think..." It was awkward trying to reassure him of something only he knew about. "Whatever it is that happened, you need to know I don't blame you." She laughed softly and made him look at her. "I can't. I don't remember it." She made a face, then, as though she doubted herself. "Well, that's not entirely true. Every now and then I have dreams about a castle in the snow. It's like a play, everything is very colorful and bright, accept for the man who lives there...I never do get to find out who he is, or why he is so sad and angry. Last night though I almost saw his face." She blushed a little, realizing she'd been rambling on and on, though somehow Gold seemed enraptured in what she was saying, doing naught but blinking away stray tears. "Sorry, let that one get away from me. What I meant was, I feel like these dreams are connected to you, they got much more detailed after I met you. When I have these dreams, at first I'm scared. The figure is throwing things, then crying on the floor, then stomping and screaming. But eventually, he calms down, and just stands next to a big table covered in gold, and I have this overwhelming feeling to tell him that whatever happened doesn't matter any more."

Gold looked at her incredulously. Apparently 28 years of solitary confinement wears down a curse. "Oh Belle...There is so much I can't tell you yet..." He sighed heavily and hugged her again. "I want to tell you...But you wouldn't believe me...Not yet." He sat up and gave her a meek smile. "You once told me that lo-...important things are things that take time to figure out. There's always another layer beneath the surface." He kissed her cheek, quickly; lest he risk breaking the curse early. He had plans after all. "This is one of those things. I promise, Everything will make sense eventually."


	5. Chapter 5

Gold held onto a small metal object between the handle of his walking stick and his palm. He wasn't about to leave his new found treasure in one place, after all. Regina's eyes were everywhere. His other hand, however, held onto Belle's hand as they both walked toward Granny's Diner. Her first day out and about, Gold wanted her to be around 'good' people. Regina was unlikely to show there. There was some sort of commotion, though. Henry was being rushed out of the diner on a stretcher, with Emma following after. The boy was out cold. Gold and Belle just stood and watched for a moment before she squeezed his hand softly. "I hope he'll be alright..."

Gold nodded, but said nothing. He'd seen the 'magical residue' on Henry. Regina was the only person in the town still capable of doing magic. "Today will certainly be interesting..." He whispered softly before he tugged at Belles hand. "Come along, Dearie. They stop serving Breakfast soon." His tone was a bit to chipper, but she'd gotten used to his odd mood swings. They ordered and ate, all the while Gold was wondering what would come of Regina's screw up. When he went to get refills, Ruby was slacking as usual – he saw the half eaten apple turnover on the bar. He also saw the look of guilt on Granny's face, though he'd mistaken it for disapproval in Ruby at first. Apples?..."Oh Regina, you really stepped in it this time..."

When he returned with their tea, Belle noticed he was grinning. "What are you so smug about?" She teased him, sipping cautiously at her tea.

"Oh, I just have a feeling something amazing is going to happen." Was all he said as he sat back down, and they finished their breakfast. "So, what did you want to do today? We still have a few hours before I need to take inventory at the shop." He had that smile that she thought made him glow, but something was off about it.

She shrugged, mostly at her own thoughts, and looked around a bit more. "I'm not sure...I think maybe I'd like to go to the library for a bit..." She chuckled and shook her head. "But that can wait...I wouldn't want to bore you."

"How could you possibly bore me, Dearie? Why, I used to love listening to you read out loud while I worked." He stood up and held a hand out to her, bowing comically as he did so. Once she'd joined him in standing he grinned. "Besides, you never know what may jog your memory." He offered, taking her arm in his as they walked out.

* * *

About an hour after the scene at the cafe, Regina arrived at the hospital. Henry was relatively stable, but a conversation with Dr. Whale had only served to agitate Emma. The moment she saw Regina she grabbed her by the lapels and threw her into a supply closet. "Unexplainable, they said. Not a clue what could have done it. Almost..like magic..." She was smart enough to keep her voice down, but her seething anger wasn't easily stymied.

Regina looked at Emma, truly dumbfounded, only managing to stammer incoherently Magic? Shit..."I-I...have no idea what yo-"

"The turn over at Granny's. He ate it, and then he collapsed. And here I thought he wa-"

"WHAT!? THAT WAS FOR YOU!" Regina gasped, stopping in her tracks.

"For me? You...Shit, he was right this whole time..." Emma sighed, trying to get a grip. Nothing made sense, but hey, go with it right? What did she have to lose that she wasn't already losing? "What was it supposed to do exactly? Is he going to...?"

"It was supposed to make you sleep. With him...Magic is unpredictable here. I don't know...it's possible." Regina was tearing up now, the shock wearing off. "Well..." She steadied herself. "What do you suppose _we_ do about this?"

"We?...You..." She shook her head. "Whatever. Right now I don't care. We have to save him. Can you undo it?"

"Don't you think I'd be doing that right now if I could?" She glared at Emma who simply gave her 'gimme a break' face in return. "I suggest we go and see the only person in Storybrooke with more knowledge of magic than me..."

"Mr. Gold..."

"I know him as Rumpelstiltskin..."

* * *

Regina tracked down Gold, snarling to herself at Belle being with him. She let it go for now though. Henry was more important. She could fix this problem easily later. She had Emma take her to the Library and, briefly stunned at _not _seeing Belle there, she stalked up to Gold. She didn't care if she was seen. "You, stock room, _now._"

"Now that's no way to-" Gold tried to give a scathing rebuttal but was cut short by Emma's nails digging into his arm and dragging him away.

"I'm in no mood Gold, nor do we have the time." She stopped as he wormed out of her grasp.

He huffed a little as he rubbed his arm. "In that case, a simple please would have sufficed. This is about Henry, I presume?"

"How did you-?" Emma chimed in.

"I have my ways, Dearie. Regina knows that better than anyone. That's why you are here, talking to me." He smiled his 'lets make a deal' smile and clasped his hands on his cane. "Come to my shop. I can help you there much better than here." His grin widened. "That is, unless you'd rather hold this conversation out in plain sight..._Your Majesty..._" He nearly giggled at that. He'd not had this much leverage in ages.

They said nothing, but walked out of the library and back to Emma's car. She looked at Regina, incredulously. "You trust him to help?"

She looked at Emma the way someone would look at a small naive child. "Do you trust me?"

"Ah. No choice. Got it." She started the car and drove off to gold's shop.

Gold, however, went to retrieve Belle. He'd sent her off to the children's section so that Regina wouldn't see her. It was in a room separate from the rest of the library. When he stepped in she was reading the tale of Beauty and the Beast to a small group of second graders. He'd meant to whisk her away immediately, but he got caught up in the energy between her and the children. The story was watered down and much more fantastical than the real one, but then...who wanted to hear about the imp who couldn't love? Besides, he found Chip just as endearing as the real article. He let her finish out the chapter where Belle was allowed to leave the castle in order to help her father who was being sent to an asylum because he told stories of the beast. A child sat up straighter as made to stand up. "Miss, does Belle ever come back to Beast? She loves him doesn't she?"

"Yes, I think she does love him. Her father just needed her to be brave for him." She leaned down to the little girl who asked the question and placed a hand on her head. "I don't know if she made it back or not, but I like to think she did. It would be a shame to waste something so good." Gold smiled, trying not to cry. She was starting to remember, just a little.

"Belle, we need to go, I have an emergency with a client."

The girl looked back at Gold and snickered. "If she's Belle, are you Beast?"

Gold grinned at the child. "That would be something, wouldn't it?"

Belle smiled and stood up, walking to Gold. "Let's go then, If I stay longer ill have to finish the book."

"Endings are best when you make them yourself." He said softly, pulling her close as they walked out of the library. When they were in the taxi back to his house he chuckled softly. "You would pick _that_ story, wouldn't you Dearie?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She cocked her head at him playfully.

"You'll figure it out soon enough, I think." He didn't say much more before he dropped her off at his home.


	6. Chapter 6

He arrived at his shop not long after Emma and Regina, and locked up behind them after everyone was inside. "So then, coming clean are we?"

"Just shut your venomous trap and for once actually help, hmm?" Regina growled at him through grit teeth. He still wouldn't talk, not with Emma in the room. He was eying her. Regina lowered her voice and grabbed Gold by the tie, dragging him down to the counter inches form her face. "We're in this together...remember, _you_ made the curse for me..."

He jerked himself away and straightened out his clothing, pushing his hair back out of the way. "Yes, and it's about time you said thank you, Majesty" He sighed heavily and looked back to Emma, the only one who looked genuinely worried at this point. "There...might be a way to save your boy, Miss Swan." He deliberately ignored Regina. He loved screwing with her that way. "There is an item, a potion, I put away for a rainy day. With it, there should be enough magic to remove the curse from Henry." He saw Emma's hopes raise, and Regina's suspicions and confusion deepen. Perfect. "Ah, not so fast, Dearie. It wont be easy to get. You'll have to retrieve it from _the belly of the beast_." Emma's look moved to confusion, and Regina's fell to near despair Gold grinned and turned around, pulling a rather beautiful sword from a trunk behind the counter. He tossed it at Emma. "You'll need this."

She looked flabbergasted at the gleaming sword in her hands. "I...Um...What exactly am I supposed to do with it?"

"Why, the same thing your daddy did, Dearie. Slay the Monster. You're the only one that can." He said with a grin, before walking toward his office. "Good luck."

As gold disappeared, Regina pulled Emma out of the shop. "Come on, I know what he was talking about."

* * *

By now Emma and Regina had made it into the mine shaft, and it was time to check up on them. Gold knew Regina wouldn't go all the way down with Emma. The danger would be to great to her own life. After all, he wasn't sure what would happen to the intellect of a dragon in a world without magic, but either way it'd be pretty pissed off. Gold had stopped back at his home, to check up on Belle. They had a quick dinner and as he was about to leave again, she stopped him.

Her eyes seemed sad, worried for him. This threw him off. "Remember, no bringing work home...and be safe, alright?" She smiled meekly. "Who will protect me if you don't?"

"I'll be home before you even have a chance to miss me." He teased, kissing her forehead. She blushed, and he stood for a moment, just looking at her. He then smiled. "And then, I'll be able to tell you everything."

He could tell she still wasn't sure what to think of his actions, but soon it wouldn't be a problem. She'd remember. He'd have his magic back and he could bring back her memories. At the very lease he could prove to her he wasn't crazy or lying. Everything would be better. He just needed Emma to get that egg. He hugged her quickly before turning and hurrying out the door. He had to get to the shaft and come up with a plan to get the egg from her without having to force it.

When he did get there however he almost ruined everything by laughing out loud. They were making it too easy. Maybe she really did have a heart after all. Gold had thought it dead for much to long for even a son to revive. Coming from him that meant something. Regina was pacing and muttering to herself outside the elevator door. Gold didn't even have to try to sneak up on her. Subduing her was only a slightly larger challenge, mainly because of his limp. Once he had her knocked out with a cane blow, he tied her up and propped her up just far enough from the elevator doors that Emma wouldn't have a chance to notice her.

"And here I thought you two might actually pose a problem." This was much easier than he was expecting. He stood and waited for the elevator to return, locking the emergency brakes right as the car got close enough for his liking. By now Regina had woken up but the gag he'd tied around her mouth was far too thick for her to make any audible sound against. As Emma pushed the emergency hatch open, he approached the edge of the landing and looked down at her. "Ah, I see you have it then."

"Where's Regina?" Emma said offhandedly as she tried to climb and hold the egg. It would have been amusing had he not been so worried she might drop it.

He leaned over a bit more. "She sabotaged the elevator and abandoned you. What did you expect?"

"Well I still have to get to Henry..." She wasn't really paying attention at this point. She reminded him a bit of himself before he'd met Zoso all that time ago.

He might have felt sorry for her if he hadn't remembered that Henry was Regina's son too, and she deserved the loss. If he couldn't get Henry out of Storybrooke, then he'd just have to settle for him dyeing. Emma would just have be an unfortunate casualty of war. "You'll never climb out trying to hold that. Here, toss it up."

"I got it..." She said stubbornly. She still didn't trust him. He had to give her credit for that.

"Look, you can waste time, or you can give me the egg and get out." He said simply, holding a hand out. She thought for a moment, then tossed it up and started to climb. By the time she looked back up, he was gone. He heard them both swearing as he left, practically bubbling over with that half insane mirth he'd feel when closing a deal as Rumpelstiltskin. He'd be able to get his Belle back now.

He headed toward his shop. His tools were there and he had to get into the egg before someone had the chance to take it. He found Belle there though. He'd been so busy at work on this plan that he'd not noticed the rather annoying concussive wave that spread through the town as Regina's curse was broken. Apparently breaking every traffic law known to man still couldn't get you somewhere faster than a desperate mother with a dying child.

He didn't know what to think when he saw here there touching his spinning wheel thoughtfully. She heard the door shut and watched as he walked toward her slowly. "I know you said to stay at home..." She muttered with a guilty smile. "But...I know you..." She turned toward him and started to ask something, but seemed at a loss for words.

"Well, at least you came here..." He said, his emotions mixing into something that sounded like annoyance. She huffed. Apparently he didn't get it.

He had continued on to his desk, and started working on the egg. She followed him and watched in silence. He didn't like to be interrupted after all. Once he'd retrieved the vial and hidden the golden egg she took his hand. "You said you'd be back before I missed you. You lied." She said, hoping he'd get it this time.

He kissed her hand and managed a smile, though he was in a hurry so it seemed very forced. "I'm sorry, dearie. It won't happen again." He then started to walk out of the shop knowing she'd follow him.

She turned around and put her foot down hard enough to get his attention before saying, "Rumpelstiltskin, you've lost your wit in your old age."

He turned around, jaw nearly on the floor before he managed to recover it. "...Wh...what?" His eyes were unreadable, and his face and hands quivered a bit, the excitement was wearing on his nerves.

"I remember everything, Rumple...I love you." He rushed back to her after a few hesitant steps and kissed her over and over, holding her tightly as tears began to fall. It wasn't as though he didn't expect it to happen...he just hadn't expected it now. Hearing her say those words...He thought that she would hate him for what he'd done. It occurred to him then that his whole plan had been so poorly thought out and selfish that he could have done real harm to Belle. He really hadn't changed at all...

Well that was the end of that. He would, truly, be her partner now. He would put her before himself. _Only_ her, but none the less. He muttered back in a croaking voice that he loved her too before standing back from her and smiling "Come now, Dearie. There will be time for everything after this is finished. I'll need you with me for this." She seemed confused, but followed him anyway. She knew he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her.


	7. Chapter 7

As the thick purple fog cleared finally, Gold - or rather Rumpelstiltskin – stretched a bit as though shaking off the stiffness of having been idle for far to long. He breathed easier, and the determination in his eyes was almost frightening to Belle. She'd seen it before though, when he was trying to make her believe he didn't love her. Or was that himself he was trying to convince? She had an idea of what he was up to. She'd really rather he didn't muck around with magic anymore. What he wanted was going to be so very expensive, and the universe will only let you pay with other people's suffering for so long. There was no stopping him though. This need was a part of him, it had always been. So she just stood by him and held his hand over her shoulder. She laughed a bit louder than she'd meant to at her very next thought.

He turned to her with an eyebrow raised, smirking. "And just what is so funny?"

"Oh, nothing. I just wondered if now that magic is back, one might be able to catch Big Bad Gold at the spinning wheel again." She said, her words broken with laughter.

So much so that he couldn't help but smile back and shake his head. "Dearie, I doubt I'll have the time." He said, pulling her closer, with a playful near-purr to his voice that caught Belle off guard.

She blushed, and it brightened when he kissed her. They both walked back from the well happily. Rumpel wanted to enjoy the quiet before the storm. Seeing just how everyone was getting on with their returned memories and loved ones seemed a good choice for an end of the day. It would satisfy his need to see Regina fail at something, and would most likely make Belle happy as well. They walked through the town, watching the looks on peoples faces run through so many emotions. One thing he hadn't counted on was seeing _all_ of the Charmings in one place. Emma seemed at a loss, sadly, but Henry was right at home. Then there was Ruby, freaking out outside the bed and breakfast. She didn't have her hood after all.

Belle looked at Rumpel, rather confused at the spectacle. "What?" He asked honestly, and a little shortly. He hadn't a clue what she wanted from him. Things really were back to normal.

"Who is she again?" She asked slowly, trying to remember.

"Ruby." He said with a shrug. "Oh, right. You didn't get to meet them...Everyone calls her Red because of the hood she used to wear all the time. Kept her from changing into a werewolf." He made to keep walking, but Belle went nearly dead weight on his arm. His turn to give the confused look.

"She's a..." She stammered before it dawned on her. "There is a werewolf in town and you brought back magic? Isn't that really dangerous?!"

He sighed and shook his head. "The magic is going to take time to return. By the time she will be able to change, she'll have found her cloak in my shop." He grinned at her and poked her forehead with his index finger lightly. "I'm good at two things, Dearie. Deals, and plans. Remember? Only ever had two failures in my whole life."

"It's only a failure if you give up, Love." She said softly, seeing his spirits drop as he said that.

Ruby ran up to them with her eyes wide. "Wait, did you say you know where my hood is?!" Before either of the stunned couple could answer she fired off another shot. "Wait, so I wont change for a while? Thank the Gods, still human for another month." She breathed a sigh of relief before her face fell into a glare. "You're going to charge me for that hood, aren't you Rumpel."

He laughed. "Magic comes with a price, Dearie." Belle elbowed him in the ribs and he winced. "But...since I'm feeling generous, it'll be cheap this time. Come see me in a week or two." When Ruby finally left, he sighed and shook his head. "Now I'll have to do inventory again...people will be wanting their things back..."

"Wait, so all that stuff in your shop...the antiques..." Bell started to ask.

Rumpel nodded slowly. "All from our homeland. It all belongs to someone who lives here." Belle glared at him, mostly teasing, but still. "What? I'm not going to rob them blind for it or anything." She didn't let up and he was starting to get annoyed "Things are different here, Belle. I explained to you how currency works, right? I can't just go about making gold to pay the bills." She stopped and looked him dead in the eyes, saying nothing. "Look," He sighed, getting exasperated. "I'll make you a deal. I promise not to make any shady deals for the antiques if you promise not to brow-beat me about it again. Deal?"

She looked at him for a moment then grinned. "Deal." After they started walking she leaned her head on his shoulder. "You really have changed, Rumpel. Before all this you'd have thrown a fit and sent me to the dungeon." It was meant to be merely an observation, but he took it hard.

He didn't let on though. He just held her close. "Sometimes it just takes a long time to learn your lesson, Dearie." He turned their path toward his home. He was getting tired and wanted to get home before Belle tried to make him start giving things away. He needed the leverage those things provided. He needed to know he had favors in the bank, as it were. It was the only way this plan of his was going to work.

* * *

The walk home was long enough that he'd gotten over the annoyance of Belle's morality. Honestly he normally loved her for it, found it endearing when mixed with her stubbornness and lack of fear toward him. But then she'd not had the chance to interfere with one of his plans before. As they made it inside, and he was removing her coat, he finally started to notice the pain in his leg from all the exercise he'd gotten today. He didn't say anything about it though, just hitched up his limp a bit and hobbled over to his chair. She walked over to him, covering a small yawn as she did. "You go on up to bed if you're tired, Dearie. These old bones just need a minute before tackling the stairs." He joked, rubbing his leg slowly.

She smiled warmly at him and knelt down next to him, moving his hand away. She started to massage where he was rubbing and felt the odd way the muscles met there on his thigh. His eyes were closed, as he tried his hardest to keep calm. "She is just helping you out," he thought to himself, don't get carried away."

She looked up at him and asked softly, "What happened to your leg, if I may ask?"

"Let's just say...you were right when you called me a coward." He sighed, leaning back. Nothing like depressing memories to calm the hormones. When she looked up at him genuinely concerned, though, he felt like the memory wasn't so bad...back comes the racing in his heart. He closed his eyes again. "Remember I told you I had a son? I got hurt trying to protect him. My Magic healed it, but I suppose the curse worked a little too well." He laughed bitterly, though the sound ebbed away into something calm and happy.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Rumpel." She said softly, leaning down to kiss the spot as she finished her massage, laying her head down on his leg afterwords. "I wish I could have met him..."

His fingers spread out through her hair slowly. "If everything goes to plan, you will my dear..." He sighed, thinking for a moment. "He would have loved you..." She was everything he'd not been able to be after all. He thought of her, beautiful and sweet Belle. The young girl, barely old enough to be called an adult here in Storybrooke, wanted nothing more in the whole of existence than to be with this man more than old enough to be her father. This haggard beast with a black heart...Well, not entirely black...could she be mending him after all?

She yawned once more, her face was so perfect, framed by stray hair that fell in her face as she shifted on his lap, making him jump a little. As he pushed it away, he moved his hand to lift her head slightly. His lips connected with hers slowly, building the kiss gradually as to not frighten her. After all, as far as he knew she'd never gone any farther than this. As he pulled away he sighed, the sound tinged with both lust and sadness. "We wont get to do a whole lot more of this, kissing. I need my power..." She seemed disappointed but nodded. "I think, we should enjoy it while we still can..."

"That sounds like an excellent Idea..." She replied and moved to stand, pulling him up to his feet before kissing him again. "You lead..." She whispered softly, almost unsure. She knew where this was going, but didn't know how to do about it.

He smiled softly and tugged her after him up the stairs, his limp momentarily forgotten. "As you wish, Dearie." He'd not let on that he was just as nervous as she was. Why spoil the moment?


End file.
